Flexible side wall holder



April 1968 J. BONTRAGER 3,380,507

FLEXIBLE SIDE WALL HOLDER I Filed Oct. 22, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l FIG. I

LLOYD J. BONTRAGER mg M ATTORNEY April 30, 1968 L. J. BONTRAGER3,330,507

FLEXIBLE S IDE WALL HOLDER Filed Oct. 22, 1965 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOK LLOYD J. BONTRAGER ATTORNEY United States Patent C 3,380,507FLEXIBLE SIDE WALL HOLDER Lloyd J. Bontrager, Goshen, Ind, assignor toStar Tank and Boat Company, Goslien, Ind., a corporation of IndianaFiled Oct. 22, 1965, Ser. No. 501,571 8 Claims. (Cl. 160-327) ABSTRACTOF THE DISCLOSURE A side wall structure for vehicles such as trailers,campers and the like having an extensible top movable vertically withrespect to the body of the trailer, in which a flexible cloth or plasticmaterial is secured to the lower edge of the top and the upper edge ofthe body. The flexible material folds inwardly when the top is loweredonto the body, and the lower securing means includes an outwardly facingchannel which is enclosed by the top when the top is in its loweredposition.

In recent years the folding trailer, usually referred to as camper, hasbecome popular and is extensively used for vacationing families andhunting and fishing trips. This type of vehicle consists generally of abody having relatively low side walls with a substantially flat topwhich rests on top of the side walls of the body when the trailer isfolded and which is supported by a plurality of posts sufficiently highabove the body to permit an adult to stand erect therein when thetrailer is unfolded. When the unit is in its unfolded position, thespace between the upper edge of the body side walls and the lower edgeof the top is usually enclosed by canvas or other flexible waterproofmaterial permanently secured to the respective edges. The canvas orother flexible material enclosing the space is normally secured to therespective edges by stapling or tacking the material directly to theside and top structure, with or without a sealing or finishing stripalong the edges of the material to conceal the staples or tacks and theraw edge of the material. These staples and tacks, with or without thesealing strips, form places or small pockets which retain moisture andcollect dirt, and hence cause the material to rot and tear easily sothat the material must be replaced. Further, the operation of initiallyattaching the material to the body and top edges with the staples andtacks and thereafter replacing the rotted and torn material is often atedious and time consuming job and frequently difficult to perform awayfrom the manufacturing plant or repair shop. It is therefore one of theprincipal objects of the present invention to provide a securing andsealing structure for the flexible side walls of trailers, campers andsimilar foldable structures, which permits the flexible side wallmaterial to be easily and conveniently secured to the respective edgesof the vehicle structure and which is so constructed and designed thatwater and dirt will not collect in places which may cause the materialto rot and tear.

Another object of the invention is to provide a holder for the flexibleside walls of a camper or similar foldable vehicle, which forms aneffective seal between the body and top when the vehicle is in itsfolded position and which forms an effective joint between the edges ofthe material and the respective edges of the top and body when thevehicle is in its unfolded position, such that water will readily drainfrom the lower edge of the material and dirt will not tend to collectalong the holder or edges of the material.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a flexible side wallstructure for vehicles of the aforementioned type, which can readily beinstalled and quickly be repaired and replaced if necessary, and whichpresents a pleasing and attractive appearance both in the folded andunfolded positions of the vehicle.

A further object is to provide a securing means or structure for theflexible side walls of the foldable vehicle, the parts of which caneasily be fabricated with standard equipment and which can readily bepermanently mounted in place on the vehicle body and top and thereafteroperated repeatedly without tearing or otherwise damaging the flexiblematerial secured thereto and held thereby.

The foregoing objects are achieved in a trailer or camper having a topmovable upwardly and downwardly relative to the body of the vehicle, inwhich the upper and lower edges of the flexible wall structures aresecured to the top and bottom, respectively, and the securing means areenclosed by the top when the top is in its lowered position. The lowersecuring means includes an outwardly and downwardly facing channel inwhich the lower edge of the flexible material is secured.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentfrom the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a camper having the presentfiexible side wall structure mounted therein;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged vertical cross sectional view of the presentflexible side wall structure, taken on line 22 of FIGURE 1, and showingthe camper in its unfolded position; and

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged vertical cross sectional view similar to thatshown in FIGURE 2, except that it shows the camper in its foldedposition.

Referring more specifically to the drawings and to FIGURE 1 inparticular, numeral 10 designates generally a carnper or trailer havingthe present side wall structure incorporated therein, the camperconsisting of a body 12 having two side walls 1 4 and front and rear endwalls 16 and 1 8, respectively, joined to the two side walls 14. Thebody 12 is mounted on and secured to a frame 20 having a towfibar 22 forattaching to a towing vehicle, and an unde'carriage 24 consisting of twowheels and an axle for supporting the frame. A door 26 is provided inone of the two sides 14 and is hinged to swing outwardly when the dooris opened. A top 30 moves from a position resting on the upper edge ofthe side and end walls of body 12 when the camper is in its foldedposition and is raised to and suspended in the position shown in FIG-UR-E 1, by posts 32 at the four corners of body 12. Various types ofposts or supporting structures may be used to hold the top rigidly inits elevated position. The top consists of a fiat center panel 34 anddownwardly extending flanges or side walls 36 joined rigidly to toppanel 34 by a reinforcing strip 38- at the internal side of side wall36. Sheet metal 40 or waterproof material, such as plastic, covers theentire upper surface of panel 34 and side walls 36. The upper corners ofthe top are protected by an angle strip 42 extending downwardly over theside walls and inwardly to the top panel. Further details of the vehiclestructure are not necessary for a full understanding of the presentflexible side wall structure which can be incorporated in various typesof campers or trailers or other vehicles in addition to campers, and canbe used in conjunction with other types of folding structures Thepresent flexible wall structure consists essentially of three basicelements, the flexible material of canvas, plastic or other suitableflexible, waterproof material 50, an upper securing means 52 and lowersecuring means 54, the two securing means being attached to the upperand lower edges, respectively, of flexible material 50. The flexiblematerial may be completely impervious or it may contain a screen-like ornetting material 56 in the center portion thereof.

The upper securing means consists of angle member 60 having a bottom 62and upstanding flange 64 embracing the lower edge of top 30, and beingsecured thereto by screws, nails or other suitable securing means. Adownwardly extending flange 66 is adapted to overlap the external edgeof securing means 54 and form a waterproof connection therewith, and agasket 70 is secured to the lower edge of wall 36 by an upwardlyextending flange 72 which is held in place by channel member 74 having aU-shaped portion 76 and a flange 78 seated against flange 7'2 andsecured thereto and to the internal surface of top side wall 36 by aplurality of screws or other suitable securing means extending throughthe two flanges 78 and 72 into side wall 36. The upper edge of flexiblematerial 50 is secured to channel member 74 by a strip 80 around whichthe upper edge of the material is wrapped or to which the material issecured by sewing or by other suitably securing means. The strip 80 isof plastic, rubber or other flexible and compresible material whichseats in channel 81 and holds the material firmly against the internalside wall of the channel member. An inwardly extending bead 82 ispreferably provided at the upper edge of the channel to assist inretaining the strip and edge of material firmly in the groove. Theforegoing structure remains permanently installed on the lower edge oftop side wall 36 unless it is necessary to replace the flexiblematerial.

The lower securing means 54 consists of an inverted channel memberhaving a rear wall 92 to which are secured fonwardly and downwardlyextending flanges 94 and 96 extending across the entire top edge of wall14 and having a lip 98 for sealing the upper outer edge of the sidewall. A downwardly extending flange 100 with an inturned portion 102 isprovided for seating firmly on the inner upper edge of wall 14 andsupports the inner side of channel member 90. A channel 104 is formed byflanges 94 and 96 and is adapted to receive the lower edge of flexiblematerial 50 which is secured therein by a compressible, flexible strip106 around which the lower edge of the material is wrapped, or to whichthe lower edge of the material is secured. After the strip and loweredge of the material are inserted in channel 104, the expansion ofcompressible member 106 presses the material firmly into the internalwall of channel 104 and holds the material firmly in place in thechannel. A bead 107 is preferably provided at the external edge offlange 94 to assist in retaining the lower edge of the material in thechannel. Channel member 90 is secured to the upper edge of side wall 14by screws or any other suitable securing means extending downwardlythrough flange 96 into side wall 14.

It is seen that the upper and lower securing means may the easily andreadily attached to the top and body of the vehicle, and thereafter theupper and lower edges of the flexible material secured to the respectivesecuring means by merely slipping the edges containing strips 80 and 106into channels 81 and 104 where they remain permanently until they areintentionally removed to replace the material if necessary.

It is seen from FIGURE 3 that when the top is lowered onto the body,gasket 70 seats on the upper surface of flange 96, forming a water-tightseal therewith, while flange 6 6 extends downwardly along the side offlange 98 to prevent water from running from the external surface ofside wall 36 of the top inwardly between the upper and lower securingmeans. When the top is lowered, the flexible material folds inwardlyover the top and internal side of side wall 14 where it remains fullyenclosed and in good condition until the top is again raised. It is alsoseen from FIGURE 2 that when the top is in its raised position, adownwardly facing line of contact 110 between the lower edge of thematerial and securing means 54 faces downwardly, thereby providing aneffective joint which has little tendency to collect dirt and moisturewhich might damage the material.

While only one embodiment of the present flexible side wall holder hasbeen described in detail herein, various changes and modifications maybe made without departing from the scope of the invention.

1 claim:

1. A side wall structure for vehicles having upper and lower wall partswith parallel edges movable relative to one another in a substantiallyvertical direction, comprising an upper securing means having aninwardly facing channel secured to the lower edge of said upper wallpart, a lower securing means having an outwardly facing channel securedto the upper edge of and projecting above said lower wall part, themeans defining the channel in said lower securing means being offsetinwardly from the lower inside corner of said upper wall part and beingbehind said corner when said upper wall part is in its lowered position,a panel of flexible material having upper and lower edges, a strip ofmaterial along said upper edge seated in said inwardly facing channeland securing said upper edge in said inwardly facing channel, and astrip of material along said lower edge seated in said outwardly facingchannel and securing said lower edge of said panel in said outwardlyfacing channel.

2. The side wall structure as defined in claim 1, in which said uppersecuring means consists of a member extending longitudinally along thelower inner edge of the upper wall part and having an upwardly extendingflange defining a horizontally positioned longitudinal channel forreceiving the upper edge of said panel.

3. The side wall structure defined in claim 2, in which said member issecured to the internal side of said wall part.

4. The side wall structure defined in claim 1, in which a sealing gasketis secured to the lower edge of said upper securing means and is adaptedto seat on said lower securing means to form a water-tight sealtherewith.

'5. The side wall structure as defined in claim 1, in which a downwardlyextending flange extends along the lower outer edge of said upper wallpart for overlapping the outer edge of said lower wall part.

*6. The side wall structure defined in claim 1, in which the lowersecuring means consists of a member having a flange extending over theupper edge of the lower wall part and an outwardly and downwardlyextending flange spaced upwardly from said first flange forming anoutwardly facing channel for receiving the lower edge of said wall part.

7. The side wall structure defined in claim 6, in which a surface isprovided on said first flange for receiving a gasket disposed betweensaid upper and lower securing means.

8. The side wall structure defined in claim 6, in which a lip isprovided along the outer edge of said first flange and over which adownwardly extending flange of said upper securing means extends.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,132,784 3/1915 McGee l60-394(Other references on following page) 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS Watson160-384 X Baker 160-384 X Galley 160-392 Shrauger 160-394 X 5 Galeener160-394 Everhard 160-392 Rust 160-327 Stewart 160-395 X Lang 160-327Turner 160-327 Smith 135-1 Canon 135-1 Davis 296-23 DAVID J.MILL-IAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner.

.PHILIJIP C. K-ANNAN, Assistant Examiner.

